North, Central and South America

The Americas offer a vast array of Bareboat chartering areas, although we have not as yet located any companies in South America.

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or scroll down if you'd like to learn more about charter areas in North and Central America

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Florida



Florida, like the Bahamas, has weather that 's quite seasonal in nature. In the Keys, temperatures vary from an average of 69 degrees in midwinter to 84 degrees in midsummer, though it can be considerably colder or warmer than this.

The best time to cruise Florida is in late spring, when the weather is near ideal. This is, co-incidentally, the high season for bareboat rentals. Late fall is another good time to cruise Florida, but remember that late-season hurricanes can occasionally occur as late as November. The summer can be rather hot and muggy, and air conditioning can be a welcome feature. The winter can be chilly and wet if you should be unlucky enough to experience a mid-winter cold front but otherwise is quite pleasant, and travel to Florida is far less costly than to the Caribbean or even the Bahamas.


Click here for Bareboat Companies in the USA



Mexico - The Sea of Cortez





In this remote area you find lots of sea life but not many people! You're sure to see playful dolphins, sea lions and manta rays and from January through March, Grey Whales.

The preferred cruising season (The Dry Season) is from December through April. Winds are usually from the northwest during this time period, often quite strong (25 knots or more) during early winter. The rest of the year winds are more variable and squalls known as "Chubascos" occur frequently from July through November.

Temperatures range from highs of 100+ in the summer to lows in the high 50's during the winter. When El Nino is running, the chances of hurricanes are much greater and there is a lot more rain than usual.

Most of the cruising area is totally uninhabited. Deserted anchorages, rocky shorelines and desert contrast with the emerald-green to deep blue waters of the Sea of Cortez.

You'll begin and end your charter in La Paz, a thriving tourist destination with lots of shopping, first class hotels and great dining. But once you've left this area towns and villages are few and far between.

The Moorings is the only bareboat company we know of that's currently chartering in Mexico, perhaps due to the difficult government procedures to establish a bareboat operation. If you plan to charter here, try to avoid beginning or ending your charter on a Saturday or a Sunday. On weekends you'll pay excessive overtime port charges of around $200 coming and/or going!

While Mexico can be very hot during the summer months and a bit chilly during the winter, it nevertheless offers a decidedly different charter experience….one that you might want to try for yourself.

For additional information on The Sea of Cortez check out the following Web Links:

Jinx and Mad Dog's Homepage

On-Line Cruising Guide

La Paz Tourism



Belize - Get away from it all!


We're pleased to announce that Belize is finally beginning to open up to yacht chartering. And you can be one of the first to charter in these pristine waters.

Belize, previously known as British Honduras, lies on the East coast of Central America with Mexico to the North and Guatemala to the South. For years, Belize has been a sleepy third-world country and remains so to this day, though tourists are beginning to discover and appreciate this unique country which has a huge barrier reef 185 miles long, protecting it from the open ocean. It is the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Only the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is more extensive.

The climate in Belize is sub-tropical with a mean annual temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Typical summer weather brings 85 degree temperatures with a good sea breeze. November through January are the coolest months with a 75 degree average. Winter lows are seldom below 60 degrees, even at night. Annual rainfall in Northern Belize is around 50 inches, and 170 inches in the South. The rainy season is usually between June and August and the dry season occurs between February and May. During the rainy season you are quite likely to experience at least one tropical rain shower daily, usually warm and quick.

Hurricanes are less likely to occur in Belize than in most other Caribbean areas. Historically, only 5% of hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic ever reach Belize. Most such hurricanes occur between August and October. As in Florida and the Bahamas but less frequent, "Northers" can occur from November to February bringing colder than normal temperatures and small craft warnings. Such frontal systems rarely last more than three days. The population of Belize is about 200,000 racially mixed people known for their friendly disposition towards visitors. English is the official language. The Belize Dollar has a fixed range of exchange of $2 BZ to $1 US. Most tourist-oriented businesses will accept US currency. When using credit cards in Belize, most businesses add a 5% service charge to the billed amount.

Extend your stay in Belize with a land-based tour before or after your charter! Tour ancient Mayan ruins in the mountains (Over 600 sites including several major discoveries, many of them undeveloped), Jungle tours, a wildlife sanctuary and Jaguar preserve, and much more.

Belize Bareboats Belize City is served by American, Continental and Taca Airways. From here, it is a 20 minute turboprop flight to San Pedro and slightly longer to Placentia on local airlines, the two locations that currently have bareboat bases.

Bareboating was not an option in Belize for many years because the only company the Belize government issued a license to, "Sail Belize" went bankrupt trying to develop an island while running a charter company. The development gobbled up the maintenance funds for the boats and the entire business died a slow and painful death. We saw this happen and often wondered when another company would come along and do it right.

In 1995 the Belize government developed a charter boat policy and soon after this, Paul and Nathalee Steel joined with Tortola Marine Management in a joint venture to bring chartering back to Belize once again. The base is located at San Pedro on Ambergris Cay. It has been open for nearly five years and is growing slowly. The Moorings opened a new base in Placentia in the fall of 2001.

TMM offers Catamarans ranging from 35 foot Tobago's a 48 foot Bahia, all built by Fountaine-Pajot and the Moorings offers 36 and 46 ft Cats. Catamarans lend themselves well to sailing in Belize, where good winds and protected and often shallow waters make for an exciting sailing experience. Because the outlying reefs are quite treacherous, you are not permitted outside the main reef unless you arrange for the services of a local guide.

For additional information on Belize call the Belize Tourist Board at 1-800-624-0686 and check out the following web links:

Better Belize It

Belize Audubon Society

Belize History

Personal Tours

Belize Online